iPad Pro - page 2

President Donald Trump’s newly announced 54% tariff on Chinese imports sent shock waves through the tech industry, with Apple potentially facing billions in additional costs. This raises an urgent question for consumers: Should you rush to buy that new iPhone or MacBook before prices skyrocket?

You might want to accelerate the timing of that upgrade you had in the back of your mind. But those who aren’t desperate to upgrade might benefit from playing the waiting game. See the ins and outs below.

Apple’s M5-equipped iPad Pros reportedly already entered “late testing” stages inside the company and should go into mass production in the second half of 2025.

And, sticking to its regular upgrade cycle, Apple also will refresh the MacBook Pro lineup with the M5 chip later this year.

When I came across today’s M4 iMac setup on the interwebs, I realized how rarely they come up in Cult of Mac‘s setups coverage. Out of 616 articles I’ve written about setups to date — over more than 4 years — this is only the 11th one to feature an iMac (plus a few others from before I took over the setups beat). And that small number doesn’t come from any hatred of iMacs on my part. It’s just that users seem to flaunt them much less on social media than other hardware. And they’re not top sellers for Apple.

For people who have only used membrane keyboards in office and at home, whether Magic Keyboard or similar wares from the likes of Logitech, mechanical keyboards can be a tempting world to check out — especially for gamers (because mechanical keystrokes hit at the same time won’t cancel each other out). And mech-keeb customization can be fun. But where to start? Today’s MacBook Pro and gaming PC setup puts forward an excellent candidate for an affordable mechanical keyboard.

ESR rolled out a full range of accessories Wednesday designed for Apple’s newly released iPad models. The products offer enhanced functionality and protection for tablet users. The lineup, tailored for students, professionals and creatives, includes a new Apple Pencil alternative with Find My integration, magnetic cases, keyboard cases and screen protectors.

“With our latest lineup of iPad accessories, we’re reimagining versatility — delivering accessories that seamlessly integrate into any scenario, whether for study, work, or entertainment,” said  Tim Wu, ESR’s CEO. “Designed for a new generation of users, this new lineup enhances the iPad experience, ensuring creativity, productivity, and enjoyment without limits.”

In a world where people love their Macs for some uses and their PCs for others — especially gaming — a setup KVM switch comes in mighty handy. That’s because it lets you easily switch between Mac and PC using the same peripherals, like keyboard, video (displays) and mouse. That spells K-V-M.

Today’s Mac mini setup really pumps up the clear audio with Yamaha studio monitor speakers, suitable for the user’s music production. They mount the speakers on stands, which is great. But they mount them sideways, which is … odd. And despite having those, they love their HomePod mini for most uses.

Stop procrastinating on the new iPad, iPad Pro or iPad Air you’ve been wanting. You can buy one now and save up to $200 with the iPad sales currently available.

Apple’s tablets are great whether you only want something to watch video on or are looking for a light-duty notebook. And a wide variety of models are now on sale at up to 17% off!

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Our first glimpse at Apple’s AI-powered robotic lamp makes us giddy with hope for the secret iPad-on-a-stick project we’ve been skeptical about in the past. The surprisingly lifelike Apple robo-lamp looks just like Pixar’s Luxo Jr. How cute is that?!?

Join us for the conversation about the future of Apple robotics. (We really want the lamp.)

Also on The CultCast:

• Apple’s M5 chip is coming soon. How good will it be? And what product will it appear in first?
• Griffin tells us all about Apple’s new Invites app, which makes party planning simple and elegant.
• Erfon provides an update on his recent MacBook Pro and iPad Pro purchases. The 14-day return window is about to slam shut — and he’s not sure he’s keeping either of them! He explains why.
• We weren’t sure we could top the Andy Warhol banana iPhone case, but Zugu’s iPad case with a built-in dead man’s switch is right up there on the “crazy products we love” list.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Is 2025 the year we see a big iOS 19 redesign based on the look and feel of visionOS? A new rumor says so, starting with the Camera app. There’s much to discuss!

Also on The CultCast:

• Erfon finally made a decision on what size iPad Pro to buy.
• We discuss the latest rumors about the upcoming iPhone SE and iPad Air models.
• Apple takes steps to eliminate AI-generated fake news from notification summaries. But the company seems more intent than ever on getting everyone to use Apple Intelligence.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Wouldn’t you love to have half a dozen M-series MacBooks in your computer setup? One second thought, maybe that’s too much of a good thing. And it might only come up if you had to use most of them for work, like in today’s featured setup. A mobile device management (MDM) engineer does a lot of MDM testing on MacBooks for his job. If you use a Mac for work, he’s the guy who makes sure it keeps working efficiently and securely.

Looking for a powerhouse tablet without the premium price? This grade-A refurbished 12.9-inch iPad Pro delivers pro-level performance and versatility for just $519.97. Whether you’re a creative professional, a multitasking pro or a casual user who craves performance, you can get it with this fourth-gen iPad Pro model from 2020.

2025 will finally bring the much-anticipated 11th-generation iPad, a version of the budget tablet with a faster processor capable of accessing the latest Apple Intelligence features.

In addition, expect faster iPad Pro and iPad Air models in 2025 — one sooner than might be expected.

When you run a ton of peripherals with your Mac, how do keep it all connected and running smoothly? Well, today’s featured M4 Pro Mac mini user drives a pair of 4K external displays, runs a power hub and input devices, and keeps backups on portable storage devices. And they keep it connected without a hitch using the well-regarded CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 hub named “Element.”

With all the mousing and typing people do, you’d think products designed for ergonomic comfort — and to help avoid repetitive-strain injuy — would crop up in more computer setups. Well, today’s MacBook Pro and Mac Pro rig answers the call. The user, a smarty-pants undergrad at Harvard, relies on a Logitech MX Vertical wireless mouse setup plus a Logitech Pop Keys Mechanical Keyboard for data input.

So, you’ve been dreaming of owning an iPad Pro but weren’t quite ready to drop more than a grand on one? Good news: Your tech dreams just became a lot more affordable. This grade-A refurbished iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 4th Gen, 2020) is available for just $699.99 — $400 off the original price.

A university student calling themselves a “broke Harvard undergrad” while showing off a computer setup loaded with older and newer Apple hardware is bound to take some ribbing from social media on various levels. But today’s data-science number-crunching setup makes impressive and thrifty use of newer and older gear, including a 2023 M3 MacBook Pro, a 2013 “trash can” Mac Pro and a 2018 Intel MacBook Pro, plus a 2021 iPad Pro and a PlayStation 5 console.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: An interesting new gadget called the Flexbar takes Apple’s doomed Touch Bar idea and runs with it. Instead of being fixed in place like on the MacBook Pro, this customizable OLED strip connects to Macs and PCs via USB-C.

It looks pretty cool! But can it succeed where the Touch Bar failed?

Also on The CultCast:

• Almost as surprising as the Touch Bar making a comeback: A company figured out how to offer aftermarket SSDs for the Mac Studio, at much more affordable prices than Apple’s upgrades. (OK, that last part’s not surprising.)
• The first M5-powered iPad Pros reportedly will arrive in the second half of next year. And it sounds like that crazy hybrid iPad/HomePod might become a reality in 2025, too.
• And finally, Erfon tells us all about a sweet aftermarket CarPlay display in a new “Under Review” segment.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

The next big iPad Pro refresh will arrive in the second half of 2025 at the earliest, according to a new report. The upgraded M5 iPad Pro reportedly will be the first product to use the next-gen Apple silicon chip.

Apple surprised everyone by launching this year’s iPad Pro refresh with an M4 chip.

There’s no better tablet to buy than an iPad. Apple overhauled the iPad Pro lineup this year with a slimmer new design, brighter displays, and a faster M4 chip.

I upgraded to the 11-inch iPad Pro from the M1 version earlier this year and could not be happier. This Black Friday, you should buy one, too, especially since the tablet is available with a big $150 discount.

Trend alert: Folks are talking on social media sites and YouTube about using iPad as an external display for the new M4 Mac mini. Why? Well, as today’s setup user notes, the combination creates a credible mobile solution. And as others point out, it’s economical. Mac mini is a sensational value. And for a few hundred bucks more you can add an iPad (or you may already have one) and a few other inexpensive elements to make it work. But still, plenty of people see this and just say, “get a MacBook.”

Trying to decide which Apple tablet is right for you? Knowing which is the most popular might help. And there’s no doubt which one earns the top spot: iPad Pro.

You can probably guess the second most purchased iPadOS model.

November 11, 2015: Apple’s first iPad Pro goes on sale after months of speculation about the giant-size tablet. With its much larger screen, professional-oriented targeting and dreaded (optional) stylus, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro represents Apple CEO Tim Cook’s cleanest break yet from Steve Jobs’ vision for iOS devices.

And it turned out all the better for it!

iPad shipments grew only slightly last quarter, according to a market research firm, despite the release of new high-end and mid-range tablets in the spring. The lack of a new entry-level tablet from Apple significantly affected the shipment total.

Still, Apple itself showed a larger year-over-year bump in revenue during the third quarter of 2024 from this class of computer.

Normally, you pay a lot for a jumbo iPad Pro, but sometimes a sale comes along and you can get that big-screen tablet at a steep discount. Like, for instance, this near-mint refurbished 12.9-inch iPad Pro for just $399.99.

It’s a third-gen model from 2018, but it’s still great for a wide variety of uses. And it doesn’t cost $1,299 like the latest model does.